Why Do All the Villains Look at Me Like This? - Chapter 53

The blinding laser drilled a hole through the mecha along its trajectory, filling the air with the acrid smell of burnt metal. The relentless cold wind swept through, scattering the fumes.

Su Xian knelt on the ground, his upper body shielding Meng Xuexiao beneath him. A laser had grazed his shoulder, tearing a large gash in his uniform. His sturdy arm, braced beside Meng Xuexiao’s face, trembled slightly from the strain.

Meng Xuexiao gasped for breath, his eyes fixed on the ceiling but unfocused, his mind a blank void.

When the laser had struck, Su Xian had ripped through Meng Xuexiao’s restraints, grabbed his wrist, and yanked him down to safety beneath his body.

The urgency of the moment had made collisions inevitable. A dull ache now surged through every limb and joint.

Meng Xuexiao’s frozen brain finally registered the pain signals and reluctantly began to function. His vision gradually returned.

The oppressive darkness before his eyes began to fade, revealing the blurred outline of an anxious face leaning close.

The man with the straight nose and bronze skin was Su Xian.

He wasn’t dead, and… it seemed Su Xian had saved him.

But why would Su Xian save him?

If anyone wanted him dead, Su Xian should have been the first to applaud. After all, he was the Tribute, Su Xian’s mission target.

The situation had changed so rapidly, with twists and turns unfolding in mere minutes.

From Su Xian overcoming all obstacles to rescue him, to Su Xian possibly being the boss, to Su Xian being a reliable Federation general, to that same general’s true mission being to kill him…

Finally, just moments ago, Su Xian, fully aware of his identity, had told his subordinates—assuming they were subordinates—that he wasn’t the Tribute.

Was this… protection?

Meng Xuexiao couldn’t be sure.

His emotions felt like they’d been on a rollercoaster, now so fragile they couldn’t withstand another shock or reversal…

This time, Meng Xuexiao resolved to expect nothing, to anticipate nothing. He would simply observe the situation unfold.

Almost as soon as he had this thought, a hissing electrical sound crackled in his ear. Instinctively, he reached up to touch his ear, only to find smooth skin.

Puzzled, Meng Xuexiao looked up and met Su Xian’s gaze. The communication device in the man’s ear was half-exposed.

The voice coming from the device said, “…General Su, my apologies. The noise from the weapon’s discharge was deafening. I couldn’t quite make out what you said earlier. What… what happened to the Tribute?”

Su Xian’s subordinate struggled to keep his tone neutral, but the strangeness of his words couldn’t be concealed.

It wasn’t just the noise that had interfered—it was shock!

His jaw nearly dropped to the floor.

A withdrawn order?!

The Tribute target was misidentified?!

What kind of earth-shattering joke was this?!

The Tribute’s identity had been officially confirmed by the tracker, black and white on paper with an official seal!

Could it be… that General Su was intentionally letting the Tribute go?

The subordinate used the tracker to retrieve Meng Xuexiao’s information. When he saw Meng Xuexiao in his Federation Military Academy uniform, he was once again taken aback.

He’s… quite handsome.

It wasn’t that there weren’t attractive students at the Federation Military Academy, but their auras were too sharp and abrasive.

Like poles repel each other. A seasoned military officer like the subordinate couldn’t stand those fresh-faced cadets, whether they’d graduated or not. They were so punchable, he often felt the urge to knock them down.

But Meng Xuexiao was different. His delicate features were soft yet not effeminate, and his gentle demeanor made the subordinate feel like he was soaking in a hot spring, every pore relaxed and open.

Even this decisive officer, who would normally eliminate a Tribute without hesitation, couldn’t help but steal a few extra glances.

If General Su could be so soft-hearted towards someone like that… then perhaps it wasn’t entirely impossible?

The subordinate’s mind reeled with confusion but suddenly snapped to attention.

How could he even think such a thing about General Su?!

This was the man who had led them step by step from the weakest Legion to the First Legion! He was even closing in on the Federal Marshal’s control over the Military Department.

Their current mission, infiltrating the Empire, was to build momentum for their rebellion and gain the trust of as many Federation citizens as possible.

How could General Su possibly abandon his goals for a student from the Federation Military Academy, turning months of meticulous planning into a farce?

Impossible!

Even if this Meng Xuexiao was truly stunningly beautiful…

Following this train of thought, the subordinate suddenly remembered that Huai Sui seemed to be near General Su.

That must be Huai Sui’s trick! Using the Tribute to lure the General into a trap!

How despicable! Utterly shameless!

The subordinate began pacing frantically, itching to shout into the communicator, “General Su, if you’re being held hostage, just blink!”

Later, he calmed down and asked, “General Su, how are things on your end?”

“After careful consideration, I realized my own capabilities were insufficient to fully support you in completing the mission. Therefore, I’ve called in reinforcements from another Starship. When the time comes, we’ll capture the Tribute and Huai Sui in one fell swoop!”

Having delivered this speech, the subordinate couldn’t help but give himself a mental pat on the back.

How perfectly he’d phrased it! He hadn’t revealed his prior knowledge of everything, yet he’d still managed to convey the message to General Su!

He could only hope they would achieve their objective and escape unscathed.

On the other end of the communicator, General Su and Meng Xuexiao remained silent.

Though Meng Xuexiao had previously told himself not to expect anything, his heart still skipped a beat when he heard those words.

He had long suspected Su Xian was communicating with someone, but this was the first time he had heard his subordinate’s voice so clearly, like a sharp blade slicing through tangled threads.

If he had only caught fragments of the conversation as before, Meng Xuexiao might have found it easier to bear. Without the details, he couldn’t grasp the potential direction of their discussion.

It felt almost like ignorance was bliss.

But Meng Xuexiao had overheard every word of their conversation.

This subordinate was clearly pushing Su Xian to kill him!

If Su Xian had been alone with him, he might have spared his life out of kindness, just as he had done moments ago.

But now, Su Xian’s entire Starship crew was on their way. Every pair of eyes would be a witness. If Su Xian let him go, he wouldn’t be able to face his eager comrades.

It was an impossible situation.

For both Su Xian and Meng Xuexiao.

Now… it was truly over.

At that moment, Meng Xuexiao bitterly wished his parents had given him more hands and legs. If they had, he would have grabbed him before he could act.

Furious and resentful, he ground his teeth together, his cheeks puffed up like a chipmunk gnawing on tree bark.

Just then, he heard a commotion nearby.

It was coming from Su Xian’s location.

He must be about to make his move, too…

Meng Xuexiao hesitated for a moment, then bit his tongue hard. The faint metallic taste of blood filled his mouth. Using this taste to steel his resolve, he finally lifted his head and met Su Xian’s gaze.

If I’m going to die, at least I deserve to understand why… right?

At that moment, Meng Xuexiao’s eyes locked with Su Xian’s.

Their gazes clashed, and Meng Xuexiao froze. The faint taste of blood mixed with saliva trickled down his throat, and the courage he had painstakingly gathered began to dissipate.

Su Xian’s eyes had suddenly become terrifying…

Bloody, furious, like a wild beast breaking free from its chains deep within a cage, finally unleashed.

Meng Xuexiao shivered involuntarily, his last shred of courage vanishing as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over him.

He’s just taking out his anger on me, isn’t he?

Because this prey had complicated his hunt.

Suddenly, his earlier resentment and fury seemed absurd.

Against absolute power, all resistance was futile, leaving not even a ripple.

On the communicator, his subordinate seemed to want to say more, but Meng Xuexiao had already lost all interest.

When you’re drowning in debt, what’s one more? We’re all going to die anyway. Who cares how they try to twist the knife?

His gaze remained fixed on Su Xian, and then he saw the man’s arm twitch.

Meng Xuexiao could even see the veins bulging on Su Xian’s forearm. Those fists alone could crush him to death.

His pupils dilated sharply, his body frozen in terror, unable to react.

“Crack!”.

Did he break my bone?

No… it didn’t seem so.

Because he felt no pain.

Cold sweat glued his eyelashes together in clumps, dripping down his nose.

Hesitantly, he lowered his gaze.

Then he saw the shattered remains of the communicator on the ground.

The device, once tucked in his ear, had been crushed. Sparks flew from the exposed wires as they sizzled on the floor.

At the same moment, a pop-up appeared on the mecha’s control panel:

[General Su, are you certain you wish to lock down all starships under your command?]

Meanwhile, tens of thousands of light-years away, the warships of the First Legion, which had been advancing aggressively towards their destination, suddenly halted in mid-space.

Warning messages flashed across their control panels:

[Locked!]

All control systems displayed red screens.

“Damn it! What’s happening?!” The starship captain slammed his fist on the console, “Quickly, contact General Su!”

A crew member’s panicked voice replied, “Communication lines are down! We can’t transmit!”

“What about the subordinate who was lying in wait with General Su?”

At that very moment, the subordinate who had been lying in wait with General Su stared blankly at his communication device. General Su had unilaterally cut off his communication, and the penetrating laser weapon beside him was locked.

Once he rejoined his unit, he would be transferred from headquarters and reassigned to the frontier.

Inside the mecha, Su Xian’s expression was even darker than before. He glared at the shattered remains of the communication device on the ground, as if trying to burn through it with his gaze.

After a long silence, he abruptly looked up at Meng Xuexiao. His first words were, “You need to get out of here.”

Meng Xuexiao instinctively took a few steps back.

Su Xian froze for a moment, then saw his own reflection in Meng Xuexiao’s eyes. His hair was slightly disheveled, and his eyes held an unyielding darkness, like a wolf snarling from the shadows of the grass.

He looked terrible, utterly wretched.

Ever since Su Xian left Wild Star and achieved fame and fortune, he had rarely lost control of his emotions to this extent. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to suppress his wild instincts and claw his way to where he was today.

But in this moment, his carefully constructed facade had been torn away, revealing his true, most wretched self.

Su Xian instinctively covered the side of his face closest to Meng Xuexiao.

He couldn’t let Meng Xuexiao see him like this. He shouldn’t…

Just as his nerves were stretched to their breaking point, a shrill laugh rang out, reminding Su Xian that they weren’t alone.

The Silver Giant Dragon maintained its coiled posture, its massive head lowered until its chin rested on the mecha’s dome. Its eyes slanted downward, nearly level with Meng Xuexiao and Su Xian inside the cockpit.

Its mouth stretched nearly to its ears, and its dragon claws pressed down on the mecha in a relaxed, confident pose, holding it as if it were a toy ball.

“What’s wrong? Getting impatient? Trying to snatch the tribute from my grasp without even preparing a proper environment to keep it? You’re a truly unqualified collector.”

“Hey, old man over there, are you planning to take Meng Xuexiao back to the Federation? You don’t mind that backwater place? And after pulling this stunt, aren’t you worried he’ll be coveted by the Federation’s higher-ups?”

“Come on, this is the Empire’s one-of-a-kind tribute! Every Federation official would kill to get their hands on him, right?”

“I won’t let such a precious tribute be wasted! A unique treasure like this deserves a nest overflowing with roses, untouched by second or third-rate hands.”

He bared his white teeth, shamelessly calling Su Xian, who was thousands of years his senior, “old man” with gleeful malice.

“So, you understand now, right, Tribute Brother?” The Silver Giant Dragon narrowed his eyes to slits, drawing out his words in a teasing, almost coquettish tone. “Returning there now would be very risky.”

“So, come here instead.”

He leisurely shattered the Mecha’s outer shell with the tips of his claws. A dragon-like paw with three sharp nails reached inside, delicately hooking onto the back of Meng Xuexiao’s clothing like a claw machine.

Huai Sui had likely been waiting for this moment for a long time, and now he licked his lips in satisfaction.

But just then, a sensation surged through his entire being.

“Since the Tribute has been secured, return immediately.”

Dragons didn’t need human-made communication devices to communicate with each other. As members of the same species, sharing a common bloodline, they could understand each other through telepathic exchanges.

Yet even among dragons, such crystal-clear communication was rare, unless… their blood ties were exceptionally close, like twin brothers bound by blood thicker than water.

Huai Sui’s movements froze. Meng Xuexiao, dangling from the tip of his claw, swayed slightly before Huai Sui tightened his grip.

Damn it! The Giant Apes must have sent a message to his brother, Zhuoyue, claiming credit for the capture.

Huai Sui and Zhuoyue had been inseparable since birth, their coordination so seamless they were practically two halves of the same being. They shared all their wealth, and if Huai Sui had any interest in sitting on the throne symbolizing kingship, they could even share the crown.

But at this moment, Huai Sui wasn’t so keen on sharing with his twin brother.

Zhuoyue constantly professed his concern for the tribute yet hadn’t come himself. Huai Sui had been the first to lay eyes on Meng Xuexiao, and by right, he should be his.

The problem was… claiming him outright would inevitably lead to a fight with Zhuoyue, troublesome and not worth the effort.

Huai Sui’s eyes darted around before settling on Su Xian. Su Xian clearly sensed something too, meeting his gaze.

Their gazes met for only an instant, yet in that fleeting moment, they both knew they were thinking the same thing.

Huai Sui raised his dragon head, while Su Xian stood motionless.

Finally, the Silver Giant Dragon clicked his tongue, opened his palm, and hooked Meng Xuexiao by the collar again, placing him between himself and Su Xian.

This position was equidistant from both of them, perfectly fair.

Su Xian gave a barely perceptible nod.

The next moment, Su Xian pulled out another communicator and activated it. Huai Sui gathered his emotions.

“Huai Sui, return the Tribute immediately! Do you think this will secure your relationship with Zhuoyue? Don’t dream! No matter where you flee, I will hunt you down!”

Huai Sui responded with a ferocious dragon roar, “ROAR!”

You lowly humans, filthy thieves! Your theft of the Tribute has shamed the entire Alliance!

The two men reacted differently. One looked as pained as if their mission had failed, his eyes reddening as he spoke to his distant teammate through the communicator, unable to bring himself to scold him harshly.

The other felt as if he had lost a tribute he had guarded all the way, his fury igniting so suddenly that Zhuoyue, a thousand miles away, couldn’t help but frown.